Thursday, January 14, 2010

Time Management in Marketing & PR

“I need more time”. “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get this done”. “I’ll be burning the midnight oil”. How many times have you heard any of these from a co-worker or said them yourself? Marketing and PR projects can be just as much of a time crunch as in any other industry. With that said, it’s important for clients to understand project timelines/deadlines so the work can be completed on time and efficiently.

1. Make a planYou have a project, now make a plan as to how it will be implemented. Who will be working on the project? What information is needed to get it done? When is it due? Who is in charge of putting the project together for delivery?

2. ImplementationNow that you have your plan together, with tasks assigned, it’s time to implement. Have regular meetings with team members to make sure everyone is on track and there are no problems. Handle any problems that arise immediately. If someone is unable to obtain a key piece of information, brainstorm, reach out to others, if necessary.

When working on the project timelines, build in time for reviewing and making changes to the project (brochures, scripts, ads, etc).

3. DeliveryWhen delivering the project, have someone with fresh eyes review the project. Make changes where necessary to ensure a valuable product is delivered.

4. Thank the teamDon’t forget to always thank your team members for their important contributions. If something went awry, consider it a learning experience and don’t make the same mistake next time.

5. ReviewReview what went right and wrong on the project. Take team members’ input seriously. If necessary, do a case study and distribute it throughout the company. Everyone will appreciate knowing how to do things more efficiently.

These are just some of the things that can be done to ensure your project stays on task and on time. Any other suggestions?

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